1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to musical instruments of the percussion type. More particularly, it relates to a structure that enables quick detachment and re-attachment of individual chime members from and to a chime device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most chime devices include a base member from which is suspended a plurality of individual chime members. Typically, the base member is of linear configuration; the chime members depending therefrom are therefore in linear alignment with one another. However, the base member and hence the chime members may be formed and disposed, respectively, in configurations other than linear configurations.
There are two primary classifications of chime devices of the type that are the subject of this invention: those where the chime members are suspended from a base member by a single elongate cord means that extends along the extent of the base member, and those having means for individually suspending each chime member.
This disclosure relates to the second type of musical instrument, i.e., it relates to chime devices having individually suspended chime members.
In both classifications, the individual chime members are bored at their uppermost ends so that a string or cord means can be threaded through the bore; each chime member thus hangs from the cord means and the cord means is secured to the base member.
In designs where the chime members are suspended from a common cord means, replacement or rearrangement of individual chime members is problematic. Moreover, if the cord breaks at any point, it is not a simple matter to replace it. Accordingly, most advances in the art are being made in designs having individually-suspended chime members. Perhaps the most popular design for individually-mounted chime members, prior to the disclosure of the present invention, is a design where molded plastic or Nylon price tag ties are used as the cord means to suspend the individual chime members. A plurality of equidistantly and longitudinally spaced bores are formed along the extent of the base member, said bores being transversely disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the base member, and one end of an open price tag tie is introduced through each bore. A free end of each tie is then threaded through the bore formed in its associated chime member, and said free end is then engaged to the other free end of said tie means. This produces a closed loop where the top end of the loop extends through the transverse bore formed in the base member of the chime device and where the bottom end of said loop extends through the bore formed in its associated chime member. Although the free ends of the tie means may be interlocked in the absence of tools, most chime device manufacturers employ a specially-designed tool to perform the interlocking to thereby increase productivity.
There are a number of drawbacks associated with this well-known design. First of all, although it is a simple matter to interlock the free ends of each tie, it is a much more difficult matter to disengage said free ends. Thus, the musician is not encouraged to rearrange the individual chime members; replacement of damaged chime members is also problematic. Moreover, even if the ends of the tie means can be disengaged from one another, said tie means usually cannot be re-used due to the damage done to it by the disengagement process. Thus, each disengaged tie means must be replaced.
Another drawback of the price tag ties is that, being made of molded plastic, they are relatively inflexible. Thus, they reduce the quality of sound generated by the chime device.
Some manufacturers eschew use of the price tag ties because of their aforesaid quality-diminishing properties, and prefer to use more flexible, string-like cord means to form the individual loops for holding the chime members. However, this requires that a knot be formed in each cord means after it is threaded through the bore formed in the base member and the bore formed in its associated chime member. Such knot-tying is time-consuming and thus adversely affects productivity. Moreover, the diameter of the cord means must be large enough to facilitate the knot-tying procedure, i.e., it is difficult to form a knot in a cord means of very small diameter. Unfortunately, use of large diameter cord also serves to diminish the quality of the sounds generated by the chime device. More specifically, high frequency sounds are increasingly attenuated as cord thickness increases.
What is needed, then, is a structure where the chime members are individually suspended from the base of the chime device, and where individual chime members are quickly and easily rearranged, replaced, or removed in the absence of special tools. Moreover, the means allowing such quick and easy rearrangement of individual chime members should have a structure that may be re-used numerous times without deterioration, and such means should enable use of a flexible cord means of small diameter so that the quality of the music generated by the device is not diminished. However, the prior art, considered as a whole as required by law, neither teaches nor suggests how the limitations of the known chime mounting means could be overcome.